by Imani King
“Well, I can’t make you walk through the thicket like that. You’ll hurt yourself.”
“You got a glass slipper hiding in your pocket, Prince Charming?”
“No, but I don’t need one because I’d never let you run out on me. Climb on my back. I’ll carry you.”
“Are you sure…? Won’t I be heavy to carry all that way?”
“Are you crazy? You’re as light as a feather.”
She hesitated a moment before she placed her hands on my shoulders and hoisted herself up.
I grabbed her thighs, loving how deliciously thick they were.
Together, we crossed the thicket, reemerging on the farm. The little goat Adele had fed spotted us and came bounding through the grass, jumping over the taller patches like a gazelle.
“He’s a strange one, isn’t he?” Adele asked, her silky voice caressing my ear, making my knees weak. She wasn’t even trying to be sexy and yet she was turning me on.
“He definitely has personality,” I chuckled.
I sent her into the house to change while I grabbed a dry set of clothes and boots from the little guest house I built a few years ago when times were more financially stable. She reappeared a few minutes later, wearing the same shirt she had on before and and old pair of my jeans. She walked around to her car and grabbed a beat up pair of sneakers — probably the ones she wore for work. The whole time, I watched her as she walked, her hips swaying back and forth. She gave me little glances, and I grinned in her direction.
“So, what are we doing?” She wiped her hands against the jeans, like she was just the slightest bit nervous.
“I need to fix a fence, but it’s very difficult to do so on my own. I need someone to hold the wood beam.”
“Do you really not have anyone to help you? You’re going to work yourself to death if you keep trying to manage this place on your own.”
I shrugged. “I’ve been doing fine so far. If I get lucky, I might be able to make a living from the farm, but I don’t know how likely that is.”
“Why’s that?”
“Well, I’d be competing against the industrial farms in Custer County. They get all the business. No one wants to buy from the smaller farms because it ends up being too expensive.”
“So, what are you going to do?” There was concern in her voice. It made me happy to know that she still cared about me.
“I guess I’m just going to hold out until the bank kicks me out.”
“Is it really that bad?”
“No. I’m just pulling your leg.” I tugged her ankle for effect. I felt guilty lying to her, but at the same time, I didn’t want her to worry about me. “I’ll be fine.”
Before she could say anything, I set her down in front of the broken fence.
“What’s that corral for?”
“You’ll see.” I winked, disappearing into the barn to grab some materials. Behind me, I could hear the goat bleating at Adele. He had taken quite the liking to her. I couldn’t blame him.
When I went back outside, she was trying to push him off her chest.
I chuckled. “Roger knows what he likes. I guess he takes after me.”
She continued to struggle with the animal. He was very persistent.
Finally, I felt bad for her and pulled him off. “Go,” I commanded, pointing my finger toward the fields.
The goat looked at me, and then at Adele as if contemplating his options. Eventually, he lost interest and walked away, nibbling on some nearby grass.
“Okay, so what do you want me to do?”
“Just hold these planks of wood for me. Think you can do that?”
“I’ve stitched bullet wounds and amputated legs. I think I can manage.”
I nodded. Sometimes, it slipped my mind that Adele had been in the army. She had probably seen things that I couldn’t even imagine. It was one of the reasons I fallen in love with her. She was strong and independent. The strongest woman I knew.
As we worked, we chatted about this and that, reminiscing about our time in high school. It felt like ages ago and yet, every memory I had of Adele felt like it was yesterday. A part of me yearned to go back to those times, but at the same time, this was so much better. I could hold her tight. Taste her. Feel her soft, delicious flesh around mine.
“Do you mind if I try hammering this one?” she asked, a bit abruptly.
“Sure.” I handed her the hammer and nail. “You know how to do it right?” I was afraid she would hurt herself.
She just glared at me before whipping her hair behind her shoulder. It had dried, turning into a golden-brown color in the sunlight. Somehow, she managed to become more beautiful every time I looked at her.
Carefully, she held the nail between her fingers as she lined up the hammer to hit the mark.
She swung down with all her might, but the nail barely moved. She hit it again, and again, but it didn’t sink into the wood.
I chuckled. “It’s harder than it looks, isn’t it?” I teased, coming up behind her. The wood had already been nailed in two places, so it wasn’t going anywhere.
My arms wrapped around her. “You have to hit it just a little harder. Like this.” I took her hand in mine, bringing the hammer up to her ear before slamming it downwards. The nail disappeared halfway into the wood—like a hot knife through butter.
“How did you do that?”
“It’s just practice. I built this barn all by myself so I have a lot of experience nailing things into place. Plus, it probably helps that I just nailed you.”
She giggled. “Oh, I’m sure that’s exactly what it is.”
“You never know,” I whispered, nuzzling my head into the side of her neck. Even after our dip in the lake, she smelled divine. It was an intoxicatingly sweet scent that I felt I’d never be able to get enough. I was quickly becoming an addict.
“So, are you going to tell me what this corral is for now?” she asked, curiosity getting the best of her.
“Right. I almost forgot.”
Chapter 8
Adele
I watched Braden disappear into the barn. A second later, the doors slid open. Light spilled into the building, revealing a few empty stalls. Braden was standing in the back, cloaked in shadows. I stepped forward, trying to get a better look.
Suddenly, a beautiful black horse came trotting forward. It held its head up high, its chest puffed out in a prideful stance. Its long, luscious mane fluttered in the wind.
Slowly, it approached me, its nostrils flaring.
I carefully held out my hand, palm up, so he could sniff me. His wet nose pressed against my skin, making me giggle.
The noise spooked him, causing him to step back, shaking his head.
“It’s okay, Charger, she’s a friend.” Braden appeared beside the horse, rubbing the creature’s neck. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sugar cube. The horse gobbled it up eagerly, tail flicking back and forth in happiness. “Here, you try.” He placed a cube in my hand.
Charger approached me with interest. Cautiously, I held out my hand.
Without hesitation, he ate it out of my palm. Thinking I had more to offer him, he nudged me. “Whoa there, big guy.” I rubbed his snout. It was silky and soft.
“What do you say we take him out for a ride?” Braden asked just before he jumped onto the horse’s back. His movements were effortless, making it look like he had just floated up there.
Grabbing Charger by the reigns, he guided the horse forward a few steps before he held out his hand to me.
I hesitated. “I’ve never been on a horse before…”
“Well, there’s a first time for everything. And you need to, if you’re going to be a vet around these parts.” He leaned down and took my hand, helping me up.
I settled right behind him, my body locking with his. Naturally, my arms wrapped around his torso, holding on tight.
“So, we’re just going to do a few laps around the corral, okay?”
I nodded, thinking that
would be fine. Nothing too crazy.
Charger trotted along, occasionally huffing or shaking his head.
“How long have you had a horse?” I asked, trying to distract myself from the fear creeping under my skin.
“Charger was actually my first addition to the stables. I knew I wanted a horse and when I saw him at the auction, I knew I had to have him. Cost me quite the pretty penny, but he’s the best horse in the world.” He patted the horse’s neck with affection.
“Did you know how to ride while we were in high school? How come you never told me?”
“No. I learned in junior high. Grandfather had me get lessons. Wanted me to learn how to race. So I could place bets.”
“And so now you’re doing what — riding them for recreation? That’s not the same thing, is it?”
“Not really.” He smiled.
“Braden Ennis, you never fail to surprise me.”
He shrugged. “I’ve always liked horses. Grandfather just had a different idea about what you’re supposed to do with one of ‘em.”
Suddenly, he snapped the reigns. Charger immediately broke into a gallop, heading straight for the fence.
“What are you doing?” I asked, my voice rising in pitch. My arms tightened around Braden’s bare torso as my heart threatened to rocket out of my mouth. “We’re going to crash!” I screamed, seeing that we were charging straight towards the fence—the fence we had spent all afternoon fixing!
But, at the very last moment, Charger leapt into the air, gliding effortlessly over the fence to the other side. Once clear, he ran full force, his hooves thundering into the ground.
As the wind whipped through my hair and my body bounced around in the saddle, a surge of adrenaline quickly replaced my fear. It pumped through my veins, making me feel alive like I never had before. The air seemed cleaner. The colors more vibrant.
I laughed with glee, wishing this moment could last forever.
We continued to ride, Charger’s speed eventually panning out to a comfortable pace.
“How are you doing back there?”
“Good!”
He squeezed my hand. “I was afraid you wouldn’t like it.”
“I love it.”
We did a few laps around the property before we headed back to the barn. A part of me was disappointed that our fun was ending.
Braden helped me down, taking the opportunity to kiss me. I suddenly felt lightheaded and my body turned to jelly. I clung to him, needing the support. When I had agreed to visit his ranch, I thought I’d experience a boring day on a farm, but so far, Braden had completely blown me away.
“Now, what do you say to a hot bath?” he asked as soon as he returned Charger back to his stall.
“Mmm, I think that would be wonderful.”
Hand in hand, we walked back to the house. I was about to go inside when he stopped me, pulling me into his body like we were a couple of salsa dancers. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“Didn’t you say we were taking a bath?”
He grinned, his eyes shining in the moonlight that had settled over the land. We had spent the whole day outside. The hours seemed to fly by. If only I could slow things down and savor every moment.
Silently, he took my hand in his, guiding me toward a little building by the porch. Hiding behind it was a luxurious-looking, outdoor bathtub. I stared in disbelief. “Is that made of wood?”
He nodded. “I crafted it myself.”
“What?” My eyes widened. “You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you? First, you learn how to ride horses and now you’re some master craftsman. You’ve kept yourself busy while I was gone, haven’t you?”
He just smiled, starting the water. “Why don’t you test it out? I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?” I asked but he didn’t answer. I thought about following him, but the steam that rolled off the water looked so very tempting.
Quickly, I shrugged off his shirt, letting it fall into a heap on the ground. The nighttime air rolled through, nipping at my skin, causing goosebumps to form all over my body. I hugged myself for a moment before stepping into the tub.
I moaned as the warm water caressed my body like an adoring lover. The tub was quite large—there was room enough for two.
I closed my eyes, leaning my head back. This was perfect. I could get used to it.
By the time I heard Braden’s footsteps crunching against the gravel, I had nearly fallen asleep. I opened one eye to see him standing there with two glasses of champagne and a bottle tucked under his arm.
“I thought you might like something to drink.”
“Mmm. You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you?”
He chuckled. “I just wanted to make sure you have a good time.”
“Well, I’ll have an even better time just as soon as you join me in here.” I grabbed his hand, tugging on it like I was about to pull him in.
“Okay. Okay. Hold your horses.” He placed his champagne down before he started to strip.
I watched him, my hormones already surging inside of me. His every inch rippled with muscles. His sun-kissed skin was flawless. I couldn’t keep my eyes off him. He was a modern-day Adonis.
“Like what you see?” he asked, a smirk on his face as he twirled his shirt above his head like he was Magic Mike.
I returned his smirk with one of my own, leaning over the side of the tub just enough so my breasts were on full display.
His eyes fell to my large mounds. Between his legs, his cock twitched.
I had him exactly where I wanted him.
It only took him a few seconds to slip into the tub. He held me in his lap as we sipped our champagne, enjoying the starlight that twinkled above our heads.
I leaned into him, using his chiseled chest as a pillow, sighing in satisfaction.
“Is something the matter?” he asked with his hands on my stomach. The gesture made me remember my daydream back at the lake. I wanted him to get me pregnant. Crazy, right? But, at the same time, there was just something that felt so right about it, like it was always meant to be.
In this moment, the idea didn’t feel stupid. It felt like the most natural thing in the world. The fulfillment of a wish. Something long forgotten that could be realized, finally, between the two of us.
“No, it’s just… Today has been amazing.”
He pulled me a little closer, nibbling on my earlobe. I shivered, my desire bubbling inside of me.
“I’m glad,” he whispered in his deep, husky voice.
“Braden…” I trailed off, trying to wrap my head around what I was about to say. I was feeling a little buzzed from the champagne, but I knew, deep down, that these feelings were real. I wanted a baby. I wanted it more than anything.
“Yes?”
“You mentioned our pact earlier, right?”
He nodded, his fingers drawing figure eights on my tummy.
“Would it be crazy if I said that I actually want to go through with it? I mean, that’s crazy, isn’t it? We should really be in a real relationship before we do that kind of thing.”
I looked at him, searching his eyes. He didn’t look back at me like I was crazy. But I couldn’t read anything at all in his expression.
His fingers stopped moving. He was silent for a moment.
I started to panic, thinking I was the biggest idiot in the world for bringing it up. Why did I have to go and ruin the moment? Things were going so well.
“I would say that I’m the luckiest man in the world.” He paused. “I was so upset when you left. I thought about you every day for all the years you were gone. And I thought about the family we were meant to have. And it’s gotten even worse since you’ve been here.”
It took me a minute to realize what he was saying. “You mean, you’d want to have a baby? With me?”
“Of course. Why do you think I made that pact with you in the first place?”
I flushed deeply. “I want to try. We could do it. No stri
ngs attached.”
He answered me with a kiss. There was a fire burning behind his lips. His arms wrapped around me tight like he was never going to let go. One of his hands found my ass, squeezing it hard as he pulled me into his lap.
I could feel his hardening cock pressing against my thigh.
“Mmm, maybe we could start right now,” I suggested, letting my lips trail along his neck, trying to get him riled up.
He smirked. “What do you think I’m doing?” he asked, one of his fingers already sliding inside my entrance. He shoved it in knuckle-deep, twisting it this way and that until I was moaning with pleasure.
“Braden,” I panted. “You can’t get me pregnant with your fingers alone.” I was desperate to feel him inside of me. I wanted it. I needed it.
“Shh…” Suddenly, he pushed in another finger, pumping them in and out of my tight little hole until I was moaning his name. He wound me up, tighter and tighter. I had turned into his little plaything, helpless to his teasing.
With his other hand, he started to stroke his cock, getting it hard.
Just when I thought I couldn’t handle it anymore, I felt his tip pressing against me. It felt bigger than before, his tip already sticky with precum, despite being underwater.
Gently, he eased inside of me, little by little until he was balls-deep.
I gasped, my every inch stretched to accommodate his thick girth.
Suddenly, he hiked me up the side of the tub, pinning me in place. He grabbed my leg and slung it over his shoulder.
Luckily, I was flexible.
In this position, he rammed into me, going deeper than he ever had before.
The water started to slosh all around us, spilling over the side of the tub. Still, he didn’t stop. There was an animalistic look to his eye as he continued his assault, going harder and harder.
My nails ran down his back, leaving behind angry red lines.
This edged him on even further. He growled, biting the side of my neck.
I screamed, my hips thrusting against his.
No matter how hard or fast he went, I wanted more. So much more.
“Fuck!” I tilted my head back as my body exploded with white-hot pleasure that took me by storm.